Today was a pretty good day. I ran to Michaels to pick up some things for my new arts project. Also stopped by my tarot store. Someone there had a deck of cards that they didn't want anymore, and it happened to be the deck I was interested in buying, so they gave me their old deck! Worked out to an $18 savings. Yay!

Also checked out the farmers market today and I picked up some great local produce cheap. Yummy. Making baked eggplant, zuccini, and summer squash for dinner tonight.

I should have known. I had a great big deposit placed into my $20 Challenge account, and I find out I was overdrawn on my checking account due to my check not clearing when I thought it did. The result?

I paid a lot of bills and kept getting over limit fees. Pardon my language, but FUCK!

Took the money from my $20 Challenge account to cover it all. Ick.

Old House Fund Balance: $592.94
Withdrawl for fees: - $145.00
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New House Fund Balance: $447.94

I've had a fairly busy month, so I haven't been blogging like I like to. Finances were OK, but I went on a shopping binge at Wal-Mart the other day and spent a bit. $16 on new sneakers (as opposed to the $80s I spent the last time I bought sneakers three years ago), $15 on 2 new cute t-shirts (first time I have bought clothes for me in months, and I couldn't pass these up) $7 for a new Brita filter, $2 for black spray paint to repaint the bookcase in our bedroom, and a few toiletries. Not too amd, since a few years ago my splurges tended to be a couple hundred bucks, but still more than I could afford.

Today I hit the library. I got a pass for discount tix to the aquarium next week, plus a new book on MS. I ended up paying $1.70 in late fees from last time I was there, but I also found a quarter on the ground.

I'm hoping the rest of the month is low spending (no spending would be better!). I want to pick up a few binders from Staples for a project I am working on, and I need some refills on my meds, but other than that, it should be low finances.

Put $200 on my LBCC, bringing the total down to $841.65

And put $300 on the ATTCC, bringing the total down to $4,665.72


Slowly but surely sinking...

I recieved my freelance check for the work I did this past month. It was a good amount, so I was able to pay bills and throw some extra on the CCs.

However, a big check means a big 10% deposit.

Old House Fund Balance: $375.94
10% Freelance check: $217.00
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New House Fund Balance: $592.94

Whoo-hoo!!!

It seems like everybody except me has had issues with their computers. Well, now it is my turn. I think my laptop is sick.

Lately it has been getting really overheated really fast, and I've noticed the screen flickering. Ugh.

Granted, it is about 6 years old, but it still stinks. I love my laptop. And I use it to do freelance work from home. And I so cannot afford another one right now.

The problem is that with the screen flickering, it could be just the screen going. But they can't just replace the screen on a laptop (I asked). So I would need to buy a new one.

I actually found one at Staples for a great deal, and it has just about everything I want/need. But again, no money.

Mums and Dads said that if mine holds out long enough, they will get me a new one for Christmas! THANKS MUMS AND DADS!!! I am, of course, worried that it will konk out before then, though.

And then I wonder, if it doesn't die, do I take the chance that it still has a few good years left in her and wait it out, or do I get a new one when they are all on sale at great prices for X-mas? The one I found yesterday was under $450, was a compaq (my fave), and had a huge hard drive and RAM capacity. I would love to find one under $350, but I don't know if holiday sales will be that good.

Anyways, I am backing up my had drive and everything important to me today, and hoping my poor baby has at least a few more months in her.

I haven't beena round much this month. I think part of it is because money is so tight, and I don't have a lot to blog about. I do notice, however, that when I blog close-to-daily, I am better at staying on track.

I'm kinda bummed I missed my blog-o-versatry here. I missed it last year, too.

I had a job interview this past week. Seemed to go pretty well. She even told me during the interview that she had another position in mind for me. Whoo-hoo! And, after stating that they never did this in interviews, she asked what my availability was. Sounds promising!

Not much else has been going on. I sold a few items on ebay the last two weeks. Most were small $5) items, but I did sell a Mickey Mouse pen I had for almost $30. It's a pen I was given years ago (like 15 years ago) when I was big into Mickey stuff. I've never even used it; it just sat in its box all these years. So I listed it, thinking I'd get maybe $10 at the most for it. But the winning bid was for $27.55. Not too shabby!

As a result of the ebaying, I've made $50.78. It's a nice little chunk of change for barely any work. I wish I could add it all the the Challenge, but I am STILL not working full time yet, so I am going to follow the 10% rule.

And when I checked my balance in this account the other day, it was $3 higher than my records say it should have been. Somewhere along the line I added in an extra $3 and I didn't note it, so I am adding in to the total now.

Old House Fund Balance: $367.86
10% Ebay Income: $5.08
Extra surprise: $3.00
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New House Fund Balance: $375.94

Another 10% to go into the Challenge.

Old House Fund Balance: $365.66
10% Tarot Income: $2.20
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New House Fund Balance: $367.86

A little for the chalenge:

Old House Fund Balance: $355.66
10% Tarot Income Yesterday: $3.00
10% Tarot Income this morning: $4.80
10% CITB: $2.20
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New House Fund Balance: $365.66

CITB is the spare change I rolled up this month. Had a total of $22 in change..whoo-hoo! I wish I could have thrown it all in the challenge, but with little income, we need all we can get. So, for now, it is the 10% rule.

And although I worked at the tarot store this morning (made $48) I am going back for another shift tonigh from 6-10. Another $50 would be nice!!

$7 for lunch with friend
$9 for dinner with sister
$8 subway for me and sis
$4 bottle of water at concert

Well, made some money at the tarot store today, but I also spent some.

$5.65 for DnD Breaky
$3.00 for afternoon coffee
$10 for new tarot bag (mine was ripped and my cards fell out of it twice; couldn't be repaired)
$15 b-day gift for best friend A

I wish I hadn't spent so much today, but at least I made some money today, as well.

I worked at the tarot shop today from 9-5. Long day, but it was fun and I made some decent money. I made $76, so 10% is going into my Challenge.

Old House Fund Balance: $348.06
10% Tarot Income: $7.60
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New House Fund Balance: $355.66

Walgreens $3.15 for T.P.
DnD $5.65 Coffee

Got a $3 check from Pinecone today. Adding to my Challenge.

Old House Fund Balance: $345.06
Pinecone: $3.00
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New House Fund Balance: $348.06

August 4th

$3 for subway
$5 for parking
$15 for Therapist co-pay

Daily Spendings

August 1st
Dunkin Donuts $10.40
Quizno's $22.00

August 2nd
Groceries $107.37
Bottle of Water at concert $4

August 3rd
No Spend Day

Old House Fund Balance: $344.70
Interest: $.36
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New House Fund Balance: $345.06